WASHINGTON, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. will hold a celebration marking the 40th anniversary of sister city relationships between Chinese and U.S. cities, it said in a statement Friday.

Officials of U.S. states, cities, and towns that have sister city ties with their Chinese counterparts are expected to join the celebration on Wednesday, which will be co-hosted by both the Chinese embassy and Sister Cities International (SCI), a non-profit organization that promotes local level ties between the United States and other countries.

The event would also celebrate the 40th anniversary of the China-U.S. diplomatic relations, the embassy's statement said.